Features | Experience of the Divinity of Bhagavan by Devotees | Group IV | Mrs. Vijayasri

Mrs. Vijayasri,
W/o Dr. Narendra Raju,
P.O. Box No: 898,
Adnoc Ruwais Hospital, AbuDabi,

E-mail: drnandu@emirates.net.ac

Mrs. Vijayasri (35), a housewife, relates a few of her experiences of the Divinity of Bhagavan in her own words.

'I came to Prasanthi Nilayam with my parents when I was five or six years old. After that we were away for a long time in north India distanced physically from Bhagavan. After my marriage with Dr. Narendra Raju, I went to Abu Dabi with my husband. In 1992, we were blessed with a daughter, Namrata. My mother-in-law used to tell us that the astrologers had predicted that we beget only daughters and no sons. We thought that the prediction would come true.

For a long time, we were not keen on having a second child. Afterwards we thought of having another issue. But nothing happened till one and half years ago. When I became pregnant, it was diagnosed to be ectopic. So it had to be terminated on medical grounds. I had one more pregnancy, but, that, too, was a case of ectopic pregnancy. It was also terminated on medical grounds. In the process they had to remove one of my fallopian tubes. As the second was found to be 99 % blocked, the chances of my getting pregnancy were almost ruled out. I felt unhappy and depressed. As we were away from our relatives and family friends, there was none to whom I could go seeking solace. So I was feelingly terribly lonely.

I used to browse the sites for spiritual information. One day I stumbled upon Sri Sathya Sai site. From that I learnt about the ensuing Birthday celebrations of Swami. I sent Birthday wishes to Bhagavan by mail.

One day Bhagavan appeared in my dream. I was going along a street. Bhagavan was standing at the door of a house. 'Where are you going?' He asked, and said, 'go in. They are doing bhajan there'. I woke up, but could not know the implications of the dream. After a week, the same dream repeated and it made us to sit up and think. We started making enquiries about places where bhajans are held in Abu Dabi. We did not meet with much success.

One day some one telephoned me to attend a bhajan in the house of Deshpandeys. They are the parents of Mr. Indraneel who resides in Prasanthi Nilayam. There we came to know about Bangaru Rajus. Mr. Bangaru Raju is an ardent devotee of Bhagavan. He conducts bhajan in his house every Sunday. They have been a great solace to me. Earlier, during bhajans, vibhuti had emanated from the picture of Bhagavan in their house in Abu Dabi. Such instances have happened many times there. He is respected and regarded there as Mini-Baba.

At first I thought of attending a few bhajans in their house and then stop. But I have become an addict to bhajans. Gradually a marked change has overtaken my mindset. I stopped worrying about the second child any more. I began to pray to Bhagavan, 'If you want to give me another child, give me. I will take whatever you give us as your prasad. But let me and my family remain committed to your Holy Lotus-feet in a spirit of total surrender. That is all I pray for.'

We came to Prasanthi Nilayam in 2002 and had darshan of Bhagavan. That is the first time I saw Him feeling consciously as God. Next day again we sat for darshan. As Swami was coming along the lines, I was amazed to observe aura around His head in a beautiful glow. It was travelling with Him. 'Yes. He is God. My place is at His Holy Feet' I made a vow not to leave His Holy Feet in my life, come what may. Afterwards we were back in Abu Dabi. I began to attend bhajans with renewed zeal, and also host a few in our house.

After our return, one day Swam came in my dream. In the dream, I was lying on a bed. My elder sister was there with me. There was a child at the feet of Bhagavan. He held the child up and said to me, 'take him. He is for you only,'

As He was handing over the child, I saw in the hand of the child a clock drawn with charcoal which was showing 9, 15. Then my sister asked, 'nine?'

'No!' Swami said emphatically 'ten'. I noticed that the child had broad forehead and large nostrils.

For quite some, there was no development. We could not interpret the numbers that figured in the dream that are, 9, 15 and 10. Are they dates, months or years? But I hoped against hope that Swami would bless me with a child. Months rolled by. One day I realized I was carrying. I made some tests myself, which confirmed the pregnancy. We received the news with mixed reaction. We were happy, no doubt, but the fear lurked in our mind what if it turned out to be yet another case of ectopic pregnancy. The day on which the pregnancy was confirmed was Ekadasi. It is an auspicious day. So I was hopeful that every thing would be all right.

After a few days, my husband had scanning done and confirmed that it was a uterine pregnancy. We heaved a sigh of relief. From then on, I began to take care of myself from every angle, especially, the spiritual one. I had no other avocation except to do namam, recite books like Tapovanam, write Sai Ram, and, of course, participate in bhajans. I did not step out of my house except to attend bhajans. Swami was appearing in my dreams and guiding me on what to do. I remember His telling me in a dream, 'totakura'. I was away from Telugu land for quite a long time. So I could not understand what totakura is. Mrs. Bangaru Raju brought some for me. From then onwards, I used to get totakura all the time because Swami had told me that. Literally my child grew only on totakura during pregnancy.

One day I had another dream. Swami appeared as lying on an ocean. He was so large extending from horizon to horizon. Was He showing me Viswarupa? There were some more people also. Swami said addressing no one in particular, 'I will protect only if the child is named Sai Ram'. I thought it was a message for me. I told my husband about my dream. 'Astrologically, we are to get only female children,' he said, 'how can we call a daughter Sai Ram? Does it not look odd?'

'I am sure that we will get only a son,' I declared, 'come what may, we will call the child Sai Ram.'

The expected date of delivery was October 26. But, much earlier than that, I began to feel that the movements of the child were getting feeble. I went for a check up and was admitted in the hospital on October 9. They did caesarean operation next day. I delivered a son whom we named at once as Sai Ram. Usually, they discharge the patient next day or so. But as Sai Ram had some jaundice, I was kept in the hospital for a few days more and was discharged on October 15. Thus the puzzle of numbers indicated in the dream, that is, 9, 15 and 10 was solved. I was admitted in the hospital on the 9th; underwent caesarean on the 10th delivering the son, and was discharged from the hospital on the 15th.'

-- Mrs. Vijayasri

(As narrated to Mr. B.Parvatala Rao at Prasanthi Nilayam on 16.07.2005)